Muskrat Lodge

Muskrat Lodge near Wilmer, BC
Photo by Larry Halverson

Muskrats are an important player in wetland ecosystems. Their influence on vegetative structure can affect invertebrate communities as well as bird abundance and diversity. Muskrats are a food source for a number of animals like mink, coyotes and eagles. Muskrats can also serve as indicators of ecosystem health by responding  to various toxins and chemicals that commonly degrade aquatic habitats.

As wetland loss becomes more prevalent, the maintenance of functioning wetlands and aquatic systems like in the Columbia Valley become even more important. So conserving viable Muskrat populations may be critical.  

Parks Canada use Muskrats numbers to measure wetland health - researchers simply calculate Muskrat populations by counting their lodges. See “Visiting the Muskrat Lodge”